1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat exchanger of the so-called header type adapted for use as a condenser in the car coolers or the like.
2. Description of Prior Art
Serpentine type heat exchangers have been used as the condensers in automobile air conditioners or the like. The serpentine type heat exchangers comprise a flat extruded tube called "harmonica tube" which is perforated longitudinally, and repeatedly bent to assume a serpentine shape as a whole. Fin members are each interposed between two adjacent portions of the flat extruded tube and disposed parallel to each other. A header type heat exchanger has also been employed in place of the serpentine type heat exchanger. In the header type heat exchangers a plurality of flat depressed tubes and corrugated fin members are stacked one on another or side by side in an alternating manner. Respective ends of each tube are connected to cylindrical hollow headers. To mount the header type heat exchanger on the automobile body or the like, pieces of channel metal, which is U-shaped in cross section have been employed as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Kokai No. 64-38481. A pair of the channel pieces are fitted on the header so that their facing portions are fastened to each other for instance by means of bolts or the likes. One of the paired channel pieces has a lug adapted to be secured to the automobile body. It is noted that such fastening members have necessitated intricate operations which cause a reduced labor efficiency in mounting the heat exchangers, in addition to the problem of increased weight of the heat exchanger inclusive of the fastening members. It has been proposed to use, in place of the prior art fasteners, a certain type of improved fastener which is arc-shaped at its one end and comprises at its other end a setting portion secured to the automobile body. The arc-shaped end may be fitted on the periphery of a header so as to be attached thereto by a welding or soldering process. However, the positioning of such proposed fasteners is not necessarily easy but requires tools to temporarily hold them in place while they are welded or soldered. It is also possible that the welding might cause coolant leakage at places where the headers are soldered to the tubes. In cases where the proposed fasteners are soldered within an oven together with the headers and tubes in one operation, the tools for temporarily setting the fasteners will absorb heat resulting in imperfect soldering.